Palm Beach's Favorite Self-Serve Yogurt

With so many self-serve frozen yogurt spots popping up all over Palm Beach, the question arises: which serves the best?

The concept behind self-serve yogurt is relatively simple: Set up some yogurt machines in a storefront and have people make their own sundaes. It is often the simplest things that bring the most joy. As more and more fro-yo shops open their doors, originality becomes paramount. Gourmet toppings, fresh fruits and exotic nuts mingle with rainbow sprinkles, M&Ms, gummy bears and Oreo cookie crumbles at the topping bars, like a buffet straight out of Willy Wonka. And yogurt flavors are becoming more and more inventive. You’ll still find the standards: vanilla, chocolate and the magical swirl, but flavors like lychee, mango and cheesecake are finding their way to the swirling machines.

Below are a few fro-yo bars that have caught our eye. Vote your favorite; as always, write-ins are welcomed and encouraged.

The Downtown at the Gardens cold spot, Fro-Yotopia, is one of the busiest places at the retail hub. The self-serve yogurt shop located adjacent to the merry-go-round is a popular haunt for kids of all ages, so Fro-Yotopia has made it its mission to offer a healthier dessert option. Fro-Yo’s yogurt is Live Active Culture certified, which aids digestion, controls cholesterol levels and strengthens the immune system. The health benefits continue with sources of calcium, riboflavin; plus, it does not contain high fructose corn syrup, is vegetarian, and most flavors are gluten-free. And with a toppings bar that seems to go on for miles, Fro-Yotopia is one of Palm Beach Gardens' go-to spots to beat the summer heat.

Cream is a self-serve yogurt shop that is all about fresh, healthy toppings and flavors, as well as a wide selection for the young ones who come through the door. Not limited to just yogurt, Cream also carries a wide selection of ice creams. Flavors change daily at Cream, which does not adhere to the pre-mix mantra of other yogurt stands; these ice creams and yogurts are made from scratch. Flavors are plentiful--at least eight frozen yogurts and 20 ice cream flavors on any given day--and toppings abound with fresh fruits, candies, as well as hot fudge. Sundae, anyone?

What do you get when trendy styling and dessert concept meet? Eco Yogurt Lounge, of course. The highly stylized décor might be more reminiscent of an after-hours club, but the goods coming from the six yogurt pumping machines is something the whole family can enjoy. Eco not only serves up to 30 flavors of soft-serve delight, but also caters to those looking for kosher and gluten-free treats. If you are looking to supplement a frozen treat with vitamin, protein or energy boosts, Eco Yogurt has your back with an array of supplement additives to enhance dessert. Flavors run the gamut of classic to exotic (acai with energy/vitamin boost and agave-sweetened yogurt come to mind), while toppings include seasonal fresh fruits.

Royal Palm Beach’s go-to yogurt shop, Froyolicious, is taking on the self-serve trend on its own terms. Froyolicious slings frozen treats in four categories: Non Fat Tart (California Tart and Raspberry are personal favorites); No Sugar Added; Premium Low Fat & Reduced Fat (for the chocoholic, the Triple Chocolate is in order); and Non Fat (who can pass up Root Beer Float or Irish Mint?). Toppings range from candy to nuts, as well as fresh fruit toppings.

One of the larger fro-yo, self-serve operations around, Tutti Frutti has garnered much acclaim and fanfare worldwide by simply being one of the best. The CityPlace locale in West Palm Beach has become a quick haunt for anyone looking to cool down from the perpetual South Florida summer. With so many flavors--50 plus; they actually list them in alphabetical order--Tutti Frutti has a taste that suits any palate. What’s more, Tutti Frutti’s yogurts are as good for you as they are delicious, using health-promoting ingredients in both the yogurts and toppings, making the afternoon snack a beneficial indulgence.

Bright and sunny, Orange Leaf Yogurt is making even the most adamant ice cream hound a believer in the lighter, healthier yogurt craze. The self-serve yogurt franchise is dedicated to making health and flavor top priorities, with flavors that will excite the kids—cookies & cream and cake batter— while being a healthy dessert option. No flavor on the Orange Leaf menu exceeds 37 calories, 2g of fat or 6g of sugar per serving size (1 oz.). There are also many flavors to tantalize the adult palate, such as taro, lychee, coffee lover and green tea, to name a few.